Development and pre-production The Black String originated as a
thesis project by Richard Handley and Brian Hanson during their
Master of Fine Arts (MFA) program in Film and Television at
Mount Saint Mary's University, Los Angeles, California. The story was initially conceived by Hanson and Andy Warrener, with a condensed draft written by Hanson in 2007. A complete rewrite of the screenplay was undertaken by Hanson and Handley in 2015 as part of their MFA thesis, with the final production draft completed after a year of development. During the final stages of their MFA studies, Hanson and Handley brought on fellow students Charles Bunce and Kayli Fortun as producers. The university provided support for the production, granting access to campus facilities and post-production resources. Sharif Ibrahim later joined the team as co-producer and actor, introducing the filmmakers to the project's primary equity investor. Additional support came from associate producers Marisela Handley and Yani Hanson, who contributed through location management and production accounting, respectively. Producer Sheldon Brigman was also brought on to the project, assisting in securing global distribution through his company, Launch Releasing. Hanson, Handley, and Brigman had previously collaborated as producers on ''
Devil's Whisper (2017), a psychological horror film directed by Adam Ripp. Many crew members from that production, including first assistant director Liam Finn, were hired to work on The Black String''. Over 120 film professionals were involved in the film’s production and distribution over the course of four years.
Filming Principal photography for
The Black String began in late 2016, with the initial shoot lasting 23 days. Additional
pick up shots were scheduled and completed throughout 2017 and 2018. The primary filming location was
Santa Clarita, California, with additional scenes shot at various
practical locations and
studio facilities within the Los Angeles thirty-mile studio zone, including Polsa Rosa Ranch Studios, Middleton Ranch Studios, and Silver Dream Factory Studios. Many of the psychiatric hospital scenes were filmed on the Chalon campus of
Mount Saint Mary’s University, Los Angeles, which had previously served as a filming location for
Mel Brooks’ 1977 film
High Anxiety. Access to the university campus was facilitated by the filmmakers’ affiliations with the institution, as several members of the production team, including Richard Handley, Brian Hanson, Charles Bunce, and Kayli Fortun, were
alumni and
faculty. Additional medical and psychiatric facility scenes were filmed at local clinics in Los Angeles through location connections secured by Handley.
Prosthetics and practical makeup effects were provided by Erik Porn’s company, Bitemares. Porn, known for his work on
Devil’s Whisper,
Buffy The Vampire Slayer,
American Horror Story,
Teen Wolf,
Fear of the Walking Dead,
Paranormal Activity 2, and
Vice, led the special effects team responsible for the physical transformation of
Frankie Muniz’s character, Jonathan. Makeup artist Dan Gilbert created a prosthetic arm piece used during a key sequence in the film.
Post-production Initial editing for
The Black String was completed by William Drucker in 2016, with director Brian Hanson continuing the editing process over the following year. The film underwent an iterative
ieditorial process, during which several scenes and practical effects elements were
reshot based on evolving narrative and visual requirements. Feedback from multiple audience
test screenings also informed further editorial revisions. Visual effects were created by a combination of freelance artists and visual effects studios, including Foxtrot X-ray. Sound design was led by Studio Unknown. Additional sound work was carried out by Charles Bunce, Brian Hanson, and Kelby Thwaits, who collaborated with Studio Unknown while utilizing the sound stages and post-production facilities at the
Mount Saint Mary's University film program. == Reception and interpretations ==